


Reflections of Loss

by RoguePrincessDanie86



Series: Fictober 2019 [14]
Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 17:00:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21039632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoguePrincessDanie86/pseuds/RoguePrincessDanie86
Summary: When in Miami, Ellie and Nick reflect on people they loss.





	Reflections of Loss

**Author's Note:**

> This morphed into something very different than I thought and I'm not sure if its good or not. Oh Well Happy Fictober

Reflecting on Loss

There was a case in Miami, and Nick Torres prayed that he wouldn’t get sent there. Eleanor Bishop volunteered to look forward to spending some time at the beach, and it was Florida. Gibbs looked him in the eye and ordered him to go. Being the excellent Soldier, he was followed orders and went to Miami even though every fiber in Nick’s being was screaming against going to his old stomping grounds.

They arrived at their hotel and when they were settling in. Nick made a phone call. 

“Hey Ma, Yeah, I’m on the area for work. Can I come over for lunch tomorrow? I would love to see you. I have a co-worker with me. I can bring lunch. No, Ma, I’ll bring Carlos’s. Great, Ma, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you too.” Nick hung up the phone when there was a knock at the door. 

“Nick, are you up for a walk on the beach?” Ellie asked as she had changed into a lightweight sundress, and she had braided her hair in a side braid. Any other time Nick would have thought she looked beautiful; however, where he was, made him anxious. 

“No thanks, Bishop. I think I will enjoy some soccer. Enjoy the beach. Oh Yeah, tomorrow we are going to lunch. “ Nick said, calmly.

“With whom? A Witness.” Ellie asked as she came closer to where Nick was sitting in bed, watching a soccer match.

“Nope,” Nick said, popping the p sound. 

Ellie waited for Nick to explain, “My mom,” Nick said.

Ellie mulled that word in her head and then bidding him Good Night. As she walked across the warm beach and the balmy air blew. The beach was empty, and their hotel was right on the beach. Ellie didn’t even know a mother. Well, that’s not true, she assumed that he had a mom, but something had happened to her. Now tomorrow, Ellie would be meeting her, and she knew that this must be hard for Nick. As Ellie gazed at the stars on the horizon and sat in the sand, she felt someone watching her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Nick standing on his balcony, watching her. At least it was Nick. 

Qasim would have loved this beach, the way the stars met the horizon and the way the ocean reached the shore. Everything about sang to his soul and love for nature. Guilty Tears sprung to her eyes. Ellie hadn’t thought of Qasim in months. Ellie hadn’t visited his grave in months. Her life had changed, as well as her feelings drifted to another. Ellie let the moment of sadness overtake her, and she stayed where she sat, and missing her friend and feeling unsure. 

Nick watched Ellie from his balcony. Just because he didn’t like the ocean didn’t mean he trusted others at the beach. So he watched his partner with a keen eye, so when he saw her cover her hands and look like she was crying. Nick’s heart tugged and watched her sit with tears that reflected the moonlight. Even as she wept, she was beautiful. 

After a while, Ellie grabbed her sweater and made her way back to her hotel room. When she got to her room, Nick opened up his door to get ice.

“Hey B, you want me to get some Ice?” Nick asked carefully. Ellie swiped the tears away and nodded. She went to grab her ice bucket And gave it to him wordlessly. Nick took it and winked at her. “I’ll be back in a minute.” 

Ellie changed into her pajamas and scrubbed off her makeup when there was a knock at the door. She opened it and took the bucket from Nick. 

“Good Night Nick, I’ll see you in the morning at breakfast,” Ellie mentioned quietly.

“Good Night, Ellie,” Nick responded with a kiss on her hand. Ellie blushed and closed the door.

The next day,

Nick and Ellie drove to a small Mexican restaurant and entered into picking up their orders. 

A man about Nick’s age rang them up. 

“So, the prodigal husband returns.” The man snarls. 

“Hi, Carlos. I like to pay for my order, please.” Nick responded. 

“After all this time, you show your face here.” The man complained. “After what you pulled? 

“Carlos, I couldn’t control what happened. Your sister knew that.” Nick defended.

“Did she? You know she asked about you before she died.” Carlos said with even more venom.  
“Carlos, it was a long time ago,” Nick said and grabbed his food. “It’s good to see you, man.” 

Nick drove down his street, jaw clenched, and not saying anything until he came to a bright blue house that was familiar. He pulled into the driveway and got out, Ellie got out as well. 

A lovely older woman with almost white hair in a loose braid came on to the porch and smiled, much like Nick’s smile. She waved.

As Nick walked ahead of Ellie, he gave his mother a big hug, and she kissed his face. 

“Nicholas, you are home. It has been too long.” the woman whispered to her son. “Who is your lovely friend?”

Nick pulled from his mother’s embrace; however, he kept one arm around her shoulders and said: “ Ma, this is my co-worker, Ellie, Ellie; this is my mother, Felicia Reyas.” 

Ellie stuck out her hand and greeted, “ Hello, Mrs. Reyas.” 

Felicia pulled Ellie into a hug and responded, “Please call me CeCe. You are lovely. Let’s eat our food.”

As Ellie walked into the Reyas home and saw pictures around the house, Nick and CeCe went into the kitchen and got food ready. Ellie spied a picture of Nick and a beautiful woman young woman in what looked like a wedding picture. Nick was in his formal Army uniform and the woman in a creamy white wedding dress. 

Ellie suddenly understood that comment from years ago, when he said that he was not precisely married. Something happened to his wife. Ellie knew better than asking, but Ellie’s heart broke at that thought. 

“Hey, Elle? Are you ready to eat?” Nick called from the kitchen. 

Conversation flowed from the trio smoothly. CeCe was very interested in finding out about living on a farm as Ellie grew up on a farm. After the food was consumed Nick helped clear the table  
“Nicholas, have you been to Sofia’s grave?” CeCe asked.

“No, Ma, you know I don’t go visit her when I’m here. Carlos yelled at me when I picked up the food.” Nick confessed.

“He’s upset and mad he lost his sister. It was out of your hands. Everyone knows that even Sofia knew that.” CeCe responds.

“Maybe Ellie will give you the strength to visit Sofia,” CeCe dared.

Ellie blushed. “Ma, We don’t have that type of relationship,” Nick responded.

“Then I didn’t raise you right, Nicholas, This woman must care about you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t bring her to meet me,” CeCe mentioned.

“Ma, We work together, and I always try to see you when I’m in Miami,” Nick responds. 

“I know Nicholas; however, you could come back more often than work causes you to come home. You know Sofia comes home four times a year.” CeCe said.

“ Mom, I am not Sofia,” Nick complained and then stormed out. Ellie watched him leave.

A few hours later.

Nick stood at the gate of a cemetery. 

“Nick, what happened?” Ellie whispered nearby.

“Sofia was my best friend; we were inseparable. We got Married when she turned 18. And she two years later, I wasn’t able to come back because I was in the Army. Every leave I took was with her. She asked for me before she died, and I wasn’t granted leave. That’s the reason I can’t come back. She needed me, and I let her down. She died — everywhere, some people are mad at me. My mom loves me and understands. “

“Nick, go put the flowers on her grave. Just show her you love her.” Ellie said. “Show her you cared.” 

Nick glanced at the white roses in his hand and walked over to where Sofia was buried. They buried her with his last name. 

“Hey Fia, I just wanted to say I miss you. And I love you,” Nick said as he placed his flowers on her grave.

“Hi Sofia, I’m Ellie Bishop, you don’t know me. I am partners with your Husband, Nick. I’m taking care of him, Sofia. He is fine. He is a little cocky at time, but a great Agent. He loved you, and Carlos yelled at him. But I am keeping him safe.” Ellie comments quietly. “ He is very cared for.”

Nick starred at Ellie with tears in his eyes. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Ellie threaded her fingers through his, and as they walked out of the cemetery. Ellie knew that Qasim was smiling down from the horizon.


End file.
